A Lackluster Begin
There’s little question that Ferrari has had an unsatisfactory begin to the 2025 Formulation 1 World Championship, as, after simply three races, it’s 76 factors behind McLaren within the Constructors’ Championship, and Charles Leclerc is 42 factors adrift of chief Lando Norris. Contemplating the winter expectations, justified by the arrival of seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton, the outcomes are fairly poor.
Nonetheless, it’s additionally true that there are nonetheless 21 races left within the season, and it’s equally true that in 2024, after three races, McLaren was in third place (with just one top-3 end in qualifying and one podium within the race) 42 factors behind Purple Bull after which went on to win the Constructors’ Championship. Subsequently, the judgment for Ferrari is definitely not constructive, however there’s nonetheless time to make up the hole – in a season that may finish in December.
The Normal Over-the-High Headline from Bild
On Monday, April 7, the German newspaper Bild – as is its model – didn’t maintain again in describing Ferrari’s present scenario and titled: “The Return of the Purple Cucumber,” evaluating Lewis Hamilton’s begin at Maranello to Michael Schumacher’s almost thirty years in the past. The cruel tone is maintained all through the article, the place the dream is described as turning right into a nightmare, and Hamilton is alleged to be “solely a matter of time earlier than he explodes in frustration and the Prancing Horse takes over.”
These are clearly unkind phrases, however they’re in step with what Bild has been identified for through the years – particularly in the case of the Italian workforce.
In Michael Schumacher’s first yr at Maranello, he failed to begin from pole place in France attributable to a blown engine through the formation lap.
Bild was extraordinarily harsh: “Within the trash together with this cucumber!” with a headline: “Schumi: the Ferrari smoke underneath his rear finish.” Michael Schumacher, a two-time champion with Benetton, accepted the problem from the Prancing Horse, and his first season was definitely not straightforward…
…and in 2006
After profitable 5 consecutive world titles and making historical past, Bild revisited the yr when all of it started, ten years later – in a 2006 article. The ‘crimson cucumber’ label was coined, which was then used once more simply a few days in the past for Lewis Hamilton.
“His first Ferrari was the crimson cucumber,” with this caption underneath the photographs: “Already in February, throughout Estoril testing, Schumi ran away from the Ferrari in flames. ‘The place have I ended up?’ he appeared to ask.”
Idiots within the Pits
Many will bear in mind the 2001 Malaysian Grand Prix, when a monsoon hit the Sepang observe through the third lap of the race. There was quite a lot of confusion, and Michael Schumacher discovered himself ready for over a minute within the pit lane for teammate Rubens Barrichello’s tire change – Barrichello, who was forward of him, had misplaced his proper entrance tire.
Schumi re-entered the observe in eleventh place, and because of the Security Automobile, he managed to remain in contact with the leaders and executed an thrilling comeback that noticed him win the race with a 23-second lead.
Bild pointed the finger at Ferrari’s mechanics: “They’re again! The idiots within the Ferrari pits. Oh my God! One, two, three, the place’s the fourth?” referring to the lacking tire throughout Barrichello’s cease. The article then had an much more direct assault: “Laborious to imagine Schumi received this race. The idiots within the Ferrari pits had ruined all the things once more…”
Poor Schumacher, surrounded by a bunch of incapable folks – who would finally assist him win 5 consecutive world titles throughout these years.
However Now There’s No Schumacher
If in all these cases there may very well be some justification for the hyper-protectionism towards Michael Schumacher, in 2025 – though Ferrari isn’t delivering as anticipated – the “return of the crimson cucumber” appears excessively offensive and remaining, particularly because the Formulation 1 World Championship is just simply starting.
Might it maybe be associated to Lewis Hamilton’s resolution to go away Mercedes, a German workforce, and be a part of Ferrari? Ah, who is aware of…
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